Major General Wade began his military career in 1970 when he enlisted into the California Army National Guard.  He graduated from the California Military Academy in 1973 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry.  

Upon being commissioned, he served as a Redeye Section Leader in the Combat Support Company, 2^nd Battalion, 159^th Infantry, 49^th Infantry Brigade (Separate).  From 1974 until 1980, he served as Communication Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and the Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3^rd Brigade, 40^th Infantry Division (Mechanized), in San Jose, California.  He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1976 and to Captain in 1977.  In 1980, he transferred to Headquarters, 2^nd Battalion (Mechanized), 159^th Infantry and served as the Logistics Officer S4, Assistant Operations Officer/S3 Air, Intelligence and Security Officer S2, and was subsequently reassigned as the Communications and Electronics Officer for Headquarters, 3^rd Brigade, 40^th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and promoted to the rank of Major. In 1986, he was once again assigned to 2^nd Battalion (Mechanized), 159^th Infantry as Operations and Training Officer S3, and later as the Executive Officer.  

In 1988, General Wade was assigned as the Personnel Program Management Officer for Headquarters State Area Command, Sacramento, California for one year and then was reassigned to the 40^th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Los Alamitos, California, as the Assistant G3 Plans Officer until 1990 when he was assigned as the Commander of the 2^nd Battalion (Mechanized), 160^th Infantry, 40^th Infantry Division and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.  Commensurate with his military duties, he assumed the fulltime Title 32 position of Recruiting and Retention Manager for the California National Guard in 1990, where he served until 1996.  He was reassigned and promoted to Colonel, serving as the Director, Plans & Operations for the Headquarters State Area Command in Sacramento, California and served until 1998, when General Wade returned to Headquarters, 3^rd Brigade, 40^th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and commanded it until 2000.  General Wade was concurrently assigned as the Commander, Counterdrug Task Force, Joint Task Force Domestic Support and the Commander, Joint Task Force AEROSAFE, California National Guard until 2002.  

General Wade became a traditional Guardsman in 2003 and served as the Assistant Division Commander – Maneuver, 40^th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and promoted to Brigadier General.  His full-time position was as the Federal Security Director (Senior Executive Service), Transportation Security Administration, Sacramento, California.  In 2005, he was activated and assigned to three major commands as concurrent assignments; the Commanding General, Multi-National Brigade (East) KFOR 6B, Kosovo, the Assistant Division Commander – Maneuver, 40^th Infantry Division (Mechanized), and the ARFOR (Army Forces Commander) for the Balkans theater of operations (including all Title 10 responsibilities of  ground forces in Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, and Bulgaria.  

In September 2005, he was selected by Governor Schwarzenegger as the Adjutant General, California National Guard and promoted to the rank of Major General.  He holds a Masters Degree from the American Military University.  His military schools include Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advance Course, Command and General Staff College, Naval War College Strategy, Air War College, Army War College.    

General Wade’s federal awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters),  Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal (with 1 Silver Star), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 2 Hourglasses and M2 device), Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral “3”), Army National Guard Master Recruiter Badge.